How do you beat the heat?

[Cataboo]

It takes about 5 miles before I start overheating to the point where I need to take off my helmet and sit on the side of the road for a while. Once I get over that, I usually don't have problems with my head overheating. All my helmets are well ventilated. But head is getting too hot overheating is something I get while hiking in the heat as well.

Wearing wool or cotton instead of wicking on the really hot days helps meto avoid being dehydrated.

I almost always wear my helmet, except for the couple times i forget and have gone a few miles before remembering and go back and get it - but I probably cycled for about 20 years without wearing a helmet, I didn't start till I picked up cycling again a few years ago. I've had a few crashes, but I've never actually hit my head.

I just wear it all the time to get in the habit of it, just like I wear my pfd to paddle in 2 feet of water despite knowing that I'm not gonna drown even though it's 100 degrees out - but if someone with me doesn't want to wear it, I don't tell them to, 'cause it's 2 feet of water and it's their body/risk. Same with helmet wearing, if someone's willing to risk it - their choice. I'm sure most of us grew up riding a bike without helmets as kids.

[OakLeaf]

This reminds me of the time DH and I went motorcycle riding on a steamy 95° Florida afternoon in our usual "ATGATT" (all the gear, all the time). A day or two later, a friend of mine thought she had seen us, and was trying to confirm. She had a couple of the details wrong about the colors of our bikes and gear, but I finally threw up my hands and said, "If they were wearing so much gear that you couldn't tell whether it was us or not ... IT WAS US." Without exception, every other rider we saw that day was in shorts, T-shirt and bare head.

I had my cooling vest on that day, for sure. That thing has saved my bacon from turning into ... bacon, more times that I can count. But I just don't know whether it would be effective at bici speeds.

[texascampgal]

I'll ride in the heat any day... along with iced water in the Camelbak. Once I break a sweat, it's cool sailing... so to speak.

Winter rides... not intersted!

[sundial]

It's the heat + humidity that's killer. This heat wave is supposed to break this weekend. It might get hot again but it shouldn't be so humid.

I'm hoping for that as well, Melalvai. It's one thing to cycle in dry heat. It's another when it's so humid your body can't cool down on the bike, even when it's being doused with water. After this week the temps will drop down into the mid 90's and then low 90's the following week. Yay!

[soprano]

I leave early and take it slow. I'll get there when I get there.

My water rule is 1L every 5 miles in the heat. I'm not shy about going into coffee bars, buying something cheap, and asking them to fill up my water bottles. I'll detour to go past libraries, with their nice cold water fountains. My second water bottle of the day always gets a Nunn or similar in it.

+1 on wearing cotton. Wicking fabrics make me feel hotter.

If I know I'm going more than 10 or 15 miles the next day, I avoid alcohol the night before. And if I'm not feeling well for any reason, I take the bus or ask for a ride.